Even before I read Fallen, I was really drawn to Ann Simko's website. I've seen quite a few author websites in my time and this is one that puts a lot of effort into her work. If you have a spare moment I would advise you to have a look at it here: http://www.annsimko.com/home.html.

Here is the official synopsis from the website:

Dr. Dakota Thomas isn't prepared for the gunshot victim who rolled through his emergency room doors. Michael Ricco looks like an average young Marine. His dog tags, however, tell a different story.

How could this fresh-faced Marine have a birth date of 1898? What was he doing wandering in the desert at night, alone and wounded? And why were thirteen people murdered to try to keep his secret?

In a world where genetic experimentation pushes the boundaries of how far someone would go to live just a little longer, the main question is…how many must die to keep one person alive?

I liked the Fallen. It's always a good sign when I read this book halfway, put it down, and then wanted to go back and read the rest a couple of hours later. The level of detail is top-notch and characterization is great, especially between Dakota and his brother. Without really going into spoilers, the book also explores a serious moral problem that we can easily apply to both our history and the present.

If I have to nitpick (and I must. This is a site where I do well-rounded reviews, damnit!) I would have liked to have known the General's history a little more. I suppose by default this makes him dark and mysterious, but I am deeply curious to know what a man has to do to get into that position.

Overall though, a lot of work was put into both the book and the website, and I strongly encourage people to buy this one. This is apparently the first book in a series, but there is a solid conclusion at the end, and people won't be left hanging. According to the author's website, the book will also be available for print in April. It is available now as an e-book here:

http://www.onceuponabookstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=185

Final Grade: 4 ½ out of 5.